BJP plans to kick Advani upstairs

New Delhi: The departure of L.K. Advani, the old saffron warhorse, from active politics seems imminent, with the party considering him for the Rajya Sabha.

Speculation is rife within the saffron party that Advani and M.M. Joshi may be nominated to the Upper House of Parliament and that both have given their consent.

However, the Advani camp denied it, saying he will contest the Lok Sabha polls while Dr Joshi's office claimed it had no information in this regard. Mr Advani, who was opposed to Narendra Modi's elevation in the party, is the MP from Gandhinagar while Dr Joshi is the BJP MP from Varanasi.

While the issue was not taken up during the BJP central election committee (CEC) meeting held on Friday, sources disclosed Mr Modi had met BJP chief Rajnath Singh separately where this issue could have been taken up.